denial
by gyoomie
Summary: He will always be right by her side. — in which gumi wakes up, up, up, but the tragedy never ends. implied lengumi.


**[ note ]** hi this initially started out as a timejumper au but (stares at hands) what have u done

it was rather therapeutic to write, even though the concept is probs kinda... vague. i just hope it all makes sense in the end orz;;

loosely based on gumi's _Circles_ by yusukekira, it's such a good song scr ea m s

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 **denial**

 _(so far away from reality –  
"what a lovely place to be."_ _)_

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'Gumi.'

Gumi stirs awake immediately, bright eyes blinking as though she hadn't even been asleep. It's a strange knack of hers that unnerves her friends sometimes, but that's not particularly concerning at the moment.

Her surroundings are unfamiliar; the boy sitting next to her is not.

'L-Len?' she mumbles, propping herself up to have a look at him. His smile is warm as always, like sunshine on the sidewalk or endless summer days, and there's something about it that soothes Gumi in waves, _shh, shh, it's alright, I'm here_.

 _I'm right here._

His knuckles feather against her cheek, a gentle touch that sends her heart into overdrive. He's real, so very real, nothing short of perfection, and he's here. He's here.

Regardless of what happens, Len will always be right by her side.

'I love you,' he whispers.

She hiccups a giddy laugh of affection, and –

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'Gumi.'

Gumi stirs awake immediately, bright eyes blinking as though she hadn't even been asleep. It's a strange knack of hers that feels like a glitch in the matrix, but that's not particularly concerning at the moment.

Her surroundings are unfamiliar; the boy sitting next to her is not.

'Len?' she questions, sitting up to have a better look at him. His smile is cryptic as always, as if the world will fall to ruins if he spills all his secrets, but there's something about it that lures Gumi in, _shh, shh, it's alright, I'm here_.

 _I'm right here._

His knuckles feather against her cheek, a gentle touch that sends shivers down her spine. He's real, so very real, nothing short of perfection, and she senses this has happened before. This has happened before.

But regardless of what happens, Len will always be right by her side.

'I love you,' he whispers.

She brushes off the lingering confusion, but –

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'Gumi.'

Gumi stirs awake immediately, bright eyes blinking as though she hadn't even been asleep. It's a strange knack of hers that hurts as much as it helps, but that's not particularly concerning at the moment.

Her surroundings are unfamiliar; the boy sitting next to her is not.

'Len...' she murmurs, sitting up a little quicker this time to stare at him. His smile seems sharper now, almost cold and cruel around the edges, but there's something about it that pins Gumi in place, _shh, shh, it's alright, I'm here_.

 _I'm right here._

His knuckles feather against her cheek, a gentle touch that allows fear to sink its claws into her heart. Is he real? He has to be real, nothing short of perfection. But she realises this moment is looping. Why is this moment looping?

 _Don't say it. Please don't say it._

'I love you,' he whispers all the same.

She can't breathe, yet –

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'Gumi.'

Gumi stirs awake immediately, bright eyes blinking as though she hadn't even been asleep. It's a strange knack of hers that blurs the line between dreams and reality, but that's not particularly concerning at the moment.

Her surroundings are unfamiliar; the boy sitting next to her is not.

'Len,' she says, staring straight at the ceiling instead of sitting up. Gumi tries her best to picture his smile in her head, but there's something about it that feeds her nothing but bittersweet lies, _shh, shh, it's alright, I'm here_.

 _I'm right here._

His knuckles feather against her cheek, a gentle touch that makes her feel like a fool. He's not real, not really, nothing short of imperfection, because he never meant what he said. He never meant what he said.

'I love you,' he whispers.

She lets out a wordless sob, and –

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'Gumi.'

Gumi stirs awake immediately, but refuses to open her eyes. Despite her best efforts to stifle her cries, a single tear escapes, trickling down the side of her face.

She won't open her eyes anymore. She can't. She can't.

'Gumi.'

He's not real.

'Gumi.'

The truth is, Len's been gone for months. He has someone new now, someone _better_ , and he's no longer right by her side. This vision of Len isn't real. This dream world isn't real.

'Gumi.'

But does it matter if it's real if it means he's _here_?

'Gumi.'

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Gumi stirs awake immediately, bright eyes blinking as though she hadn't even been asleep. It's a strange knack of hers that helps her remember what it's like when love comes alive, but that's not particularly concerning at the moment.

Her surroundings are unfamiliar; the boy sitting next to her is not.

'Len,' she breathes, a guileless smile on her lips.

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 **end.**


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